About Florida Sea Grant's Marine and Coastal Extension and Education Program
Within the Florida Sea Grant College Program, the Florida Sea Grant Extension and Education Program is a statewide marine and coastal outreach and education program focused on conserving coastal resources and enhancing economic opportunities for the people of Florida.
It is integrated into the University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), as part of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Extension personnel consist of county, regional or state-based Sea Grant extension agents and specialists with expertise in the areas of law, marine economics, seafood technology, coastal watersheds, coral disease, sustainable angling, harmful algal blooms, and climate change/sea level rise. The program draws on the resources of more than 30 affiliate tenure-track faculty whose research aligns with Florida Sea Grant’s mission.
We set high standards for excellence in our programs which address immediate and future coastal issues. We do this by providing timely information and tools to residents, business owners and community leaders so that they better understand how their decisions affect coastal environments and what actions they can take to become more resilient to coastal change. We help to ensure that resource management and decision-making about built and natural coastal environments are based on sound science, involve residents and businesses who have a stake in the resource, and include mechanisms to evaluate trade-offs between human and environmental needs. We help constituents incorporate social science, including quality of life and sustainable economic development, into comprehensive planning and management of built and natural coastal resources. We help constituents incorporate the latest science-based information across all of the focus areas and help water-dependent businesses operate sustainably and profitably in order to support coastal communities.
